Labour Party Crisis: 21 Lawmakers Defect Amid Internal Turmoil
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21 Lawmakers Defect Amid
The Labour Party (LP), once hailed as a rising third force during Nigeria’s 2023 general elections, is now grappling with internal instability and mass defections. Within just a year, the party has lost 21 lawmakers across the National Assembly and state assemblies, raising concerns about its future ahead of the 2027 elections.
The wave of defections began in 2024 when Senator Ezenwa Francis Onyewuchi (Imo East) joined the All Progressives Congress (APC). He was followed by five House of Representatives members—Chinedu Okere (Imo), Mathew Donatus (Kaduna), Bassey Akiba (Cross River), Esosa Iyawe (Edo), and Alfred Iliya Ajang (Plateau). Later that year, Plateau’s Rep. Dalyop Chollom also exited.
In Enugu, formerly an LP stronghold, six state lawmakers switched allegiance to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). They include Ejike Eze, Johnson Ugwu, Pius Ezeuwa, Amuka William, Osita Eze, and Princess Ugwu. By early 2025, more Enugu legislators—Dennis Agbo, Chidi Obetta, Sunday Umeha, and Malachi-Okey Onyechi—also left. Senators Ireti Kingibe (FCT) and Neda Imasuen (Edo South) soon followed, along with state lawmakers Chimaobi Atu and Paul Nnanchi.
These exits have been attributed to leadership crises, weak party structures, and alignment with more dominant ruling parties. Analysts argue that the LP’s fast rise under 2023 presidential candidate Peter Obi lacked ideological depth and organizational structure. 21 Lawmakers Defect Amid
Disputes over National Chairman Julius Abure and the emergence of a rival faction led by Senator Nenadi Usman have further destabilized the party. Legal battles, mismanagement, and power tussles—especially in the Southeast—have eroded the party’s base. 21 Lawmakers Defect Amid
To deter further defections, the Labour Party has vowed to enforce Section 68(g) of Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution, which mandates defectors forfeit their seats unless internal division is proven. LP’s National Publicity Secretary, Obiorah Ifoh, announced a “Hall of Shame” to name defectors, accusing them of betraying their mandate.
Experts believe that LP’s survival now depends on rebuilding its internal systems, strengthening leadership, and retaining influential figures like Peter Obi and Abia Governor Alex Otti. With the African Democratic Congress gaining popularity, LP must act swiftly to remain a viable opposition force by 2027.
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